WEB POLL

what do you think about the UPR recommendations to the United Arab Emirates?

Interesting recommendations

25%

I expected better

50%

I don't have an idea

25%

Total votes: 4

The voting for this poll has ended on: August 2, 2018

European resolution calling for the release of Ahmed Mansoor and all prisoners of conscience

Geneva on October 8, 2018

On October 4, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the arrest of human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor and called on the Emirati authorities to release him and all prisoners of conscience without delay.

The European Parliament expressed its deep concern about the torture and ill-treatment inflicted to Ahmed Mansoor and the serious violations of procedural safeguards. The EU further called upon the Emirati government to put an end to all forms of harassment and reprisals against all human rights defenders. The resolution furthermore reminded the UAE of its international obligations and requested a review of the Federal Law on Cyber-Crimes to comply with the principle of freedom of expression.

We recall that Ahmed Mansoor was arrested on March 20, 2017 by the State Security forces who broke into his home in Ajman without showing a legal warrant. They searched the entire house and confiscated all electronic devices before taking Ahmed to an unknown location.

On May 29, 2018, Ahmed Mansoor was sentenced by the Federal Chamber of Appeal of the Abu Dhabi Court to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of one million dirhams with seizure of all his electronic devices and a three years administrative control in accordance with the provisions of Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 on Cyber-Crimes.

His location remained unknown until we learned through the resolution of the European Parliament that he was held in Al Sadr prison and that he has appealed his judgement. The UAE government also prevented human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor from contacting his family for five months after his sentence.

The ICJHR was concerned to learn about the deterioration of Ahmed Mansoor’s health condition in May 2018. The UAE authorities did not provide him with appropriate medical treatment in violation of Article 19 of the UAE Constitution, and Federal Law No. 43 of 1992 on Regulating Penal Institutions, which enshrine the right to health care.

The ICJHR therefore calls upon the authorities of the United Arab Emirates to immediately respond to the calls of the European Union and other international institutions demanding the immediate release of human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor and all prisoners of conscience, open an impartial investigation into the allegations of torture, enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention. We further call on the Emirati government to stop the systematic violations of fair trial guarantees and hold accountable all those involved in these violations before a fair judiciary.